back to the city soon."

Her words seemed to startle Michael, but after a moment of silence, he
nodded.

"Well, I'll be getting on up to the cottage," he said. "Mrs.
Masterbrook probably has a job for me. When she can't think of
anything else she has me peel potatoes."

"That's her work, not yours," Penny told him. "You're altogether too
easy, Michael."

"Your father said that part of my job was to keep Mrs. Masterbrook
quiet," the young man grinned as he turned away. "I've discovered that
the best way is to do exactly what she wishes with no argument!"

Michael bowed again to the girls and walked on up the path.

"I like him better every day," Susan declared in an undertone. "I
think it's a great joke on you, Penny! When he first came here you
thought he might be a questionable character."

Penny did not pay very much heed to her chum's words for she was
staring at an object lying on the path.

"Michael dropped his handkerchief," she said.

"So he did," Susan agreed indifferently, turning to look. "We can take
it to him."

Penny picked up the handkerchief, noticing as she folded it that the
linen was not a very expensive grade. She suspected that Michael did
not have very much money to spend upon clothing.

Turning the handkerchief over in her hand, Penny saw that it bore a
monogram.

"Why, that's odd!" she murmured aloud.

"Now what have you discovered, little Miss Detective?" Susan asked
teasingly.

"Look at the markings on this handkerchief," Penny commanded. "The
initials are 'M. G.'"

CHAPTER XVII

A New Clue

"'M. G.'", Susan repeated slowly, staring at the handkerchief. "What's
so startling about that?"

"Michael dropped this handkerchief," Penny said significantly.

"And his last name is Haymond!" Susan cried as light dawned upon her.
"Why would he have a handkerchief marked 'M. G.'?"

"Why indeed? The simple answer is that maybe his name isn't Michael
Haymond after all!"

"Maybe he happened to pick up some other person's handkerchief."

"He'd not be apt to be using it."

"Once one of yours got into our washing somehow," Susan defended her
theory. "Don't you remember I was using it for one of my own until you
happened to notice it?"

"That was different," Penny replied. "I'll venture this is Michael's
handkerchief all right."

"Oh, you're too suspicious," laughed Susan. "Remember that wild chase
we had to Glenhaven just because you thought Michael might be